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Royal Brompton Hospital announces major investment in Chelsea

PRESS RELEASE7 November 2013

Major planned investment in Royal Brompton Hospital, which will enable expert clinicians to continue providing world-class healthcare from new state-of-the-art facilities, has been announced by Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust.

The proposal, to invest in new and modern hospital facilities, will resolve the challenge the hospital faces on a day-to-day basis – providing 21st century care from 19th century buildings.

The plan would bring all the hospital's services and clinical experts under one roof and provide patients with a state-of-the-art hospital that promotes faster recovery. This includes an increased number of single occupancy rooms, essential for those with chronic diseases like cystic fibrosis who are at greater risk of potentially life-threatening infections. Bringing all clinical services together on a single site also removes the current need to transport patients by ambulance between buildings, which can disrupt their care.

This investment will secure the Hospital Trust's position as the UK's leading specialist centre for heart and lung disease. It will benefit thousands of current and future patients who receive lifelong specialist care for their complex conditions. Further integration of pioneering research and teaching, alongside clinical care, will lead to innovations in treatment that directly improve the health of patients in the UK and across the world.

An improved working environment, which supports the future growth of clinical activity and is able to respond to new technological developments, will help attract and retain the world’s top clinicians specialising in heart and lung disease.

Bob Bell, CEO Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"Matching world-class clinicians with world-class facilities will undoubtedly benefit the patients who come to Royal Brompton Hospital from the UK and around the world for lifesaving treatment.

“This capital investment is absolutely essential as it becomes increasingly difficult to continue providing high-quality patient care from some of our current buildings which are over 170 years old.

“It will enable us to consolidate our services on one site, streamlining the day-to-day running of the hospital and making it easier for patients to access the best possible clinical care and sophisticated technology in one place. It will provide a hospital environment that supports innovation and cutting-edge research, to ensure continued and exciting advancements in the treatments available for heart and lung disease."

The cost of improvements to Royal Brompton Hospital will be met through the sale of land owned by the Hospital Trust and its Charity near to the existing hospital in Chelsea. All funds generated from the sale of land will be reinvested in the new hospital to benefit patients. The sites intended for sale as part of the redevelopment proposals (see attached map) are:

1-11 Foulis Terrace

The Fulham Road Wing

Dudmaston Mews

South Parade (the former Fire Station and Trafalgar Chambers)

117-125 Sydney Street (including Chelsea Farmers Market)

250 King’s Road and 151 Sydney Street

The Hospital Trust is committed to ensuring that the views of patients, staff and the local community are fully considered as planning applications are developed. A new dedicated website has been launched – www.royalbromptonconsultation.rbht.nhs.uk – as well as the first in a series of community newsletters, to share our proposals as they evolve and invite feedback. The Hospital Trust will also hold its first public consultation event early next year and aims to submit planning applications in summer 2014. It is not expected that any buildings will be sold before the end of 2015.

Separate to the Hospital Trust’s consultation, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) is currently preparing a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to establish the principles for the redevelopment of the sites and will hold a series of public consultation events beginning in November.